Elderberry Season is a favourite!
1st October 2015
Elderberry Season is a favourite among the birds at Paradise Park.
Director Alison Hales comments “One of my favourite things to do is spend a bit of time watching the birds around the Park, and at this time of year that includes seeing them tucking into one of their favourite treats – lovely ripe elderberries. The berries are a very valuable food resource for many birds and the Keepers gather them from hedgerows and put them into lots of the aviaries.
They are perfect for the fruit-eating Touraco family, delicately picking and eating them. Spreo Starlings love elderberry season, and White-eared Pheasants also enjoy ripe elderberries.”
Although folklore can be wildly conflicting depending on region, in some areas, the “elder tree” was supposed to ward off evil influence and give protection from witches, while other beliefs say that witches often congregate under the plant, especially when it is full of fruit. So keep an eye out for witches at the Park’s Halloween Half Term Trail coming soon!